Shell Element thickness

[arizawilmer]

Hello

This is a newbie question

I have a simulation of a tank where i have two shell surfaces one parallel to the other. How the software place the thickness of the part ? middle top or buttom? how can i change the direction of the thinkness.

[zhuangs]

Are you asking how to account for shell thickness in contact, right?

-Shoubing

[arizawilmer]

yes.....I want to know how to establish the direction of thickness for two shell mesh tha are in contact....

[zhuangs]

I suppose you are using MES contact.  To account for shell thickness, you can use half of shell thickness as the value of the contact distance.  For the contact shell parts, you can use 0.5*(thickness 1 + thickness 2) as the contact distance.

However, you should select the upper surface or lower surface of the shell part in contact, based on the normal direction you defined.

-Shoubing

[AstroJohnPE · Accepted solution]

The answer to this question, "How the software place the thickness of the part", is that shell and plate elements are located in the middle of the thickness. Half of the thickness you enter is above the shell or plate element, and half of it is below the thickness.

There is no option to "offset" this. For example, you cannot tell the software that the element you have are on the top surface of the real solid.

[arizawilmer]

Thank yoo

 AstroJohnPE

As I use models with long dimensions, what I did to have the shell over was to let a space between the shells.

Less than the tolerance of mesh. I also discover that the order of assembly in inventor affect the direction of who is over.